Online Coronavirus Resource Portal

Kesher Israel Online Coronavirus Resource Portal

We know this is a very difficult time both for our community and the world at large. Despite the effects on our daily lives, Kesher is endeavoring to do all we can to continue to provide spiritual and communal sustenance until this crisis passes.

Please see the information below for all of the ways our shul and community is adjusting given the current public health situtation.

Current Operating Status

Our Crisis Response team is continuing to monitor relevant updates in order to adjust our response and plans based on national, local, and community health authority and government recommendations (including the Centers for Disease Control and DC Health).

The Kesher building - including the Keilim Mikvah - is currently closed, and all in-person minyanim, events, and gathers are postponed or canceled.

We hope to reopen the building and resume normal operation as soon as possible.

To protect the health and safety of our community, we will resume normal operations when medical professions advise us that the spread of the coronavirus has sufficiently abated.

We encourage everyone to attempt to daven personally at the same time that the shul would be holding davening were it open. Our schedule of davening can be found on our Calendar page for time references. (Note: Service times on the calendar do not denote in-person minyanim until the shul building has reopened.)

As a reminder: Should you or a member of your household be diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed under quarantine, please contact the shul immediately so that we can take the proper steps to protect your fellow congregants and limit the further spread of the virus. If you have recently had exposure, please seek testing, even if you are asymptomatic.

Ongoing Learning Opportunities

We are transitioning all of our learning opportunities to Zoom. Please see our current offerings HERE.

Resources for Those in Need of Support

We realize that many in our community may be at increased risk of infection due to age or health circumstances. If you are self-quarantined or at a high risk of infection, please reach out so that we can ensure you have whatever supplies you may need.

Additionally, if you are able to volunteer to provide those supplies - either shopping or delivering to those affected - please email Miriam Cleeman.

For those seeking charity or volunteer opportunities in our community at this time:

Local businesses, including Kosher restaurants, are also being hit hard by this unprecedented crisis and restrictions on food service establishments. Please consider supporting our local small businesses and restaurants by doing the following:

Order takeout or delivery from those Kosher restaurants still open

Purchase gift certificates to local Kosher establishments which will provide much needed cash flow now, and will allow you to enjoy once the situation has calmed down.

Health Guidance and Recommendations

We continue to strongly encourage our extended community to follow the guidance and recommendations of national and local healthcare authorities. This includes following flu-season best practices including:

Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially before and after eating, or after coming into contact with high-traffic surfaces such as door handles, elevator buttons, and railings

Using a 60%+ alcohol hand sanitizer whenever hand washing is not available

Coughing or sneezing into a disposable tissue, discarding it into the trash, and immediately washing your hands or using hand sanitizer

Limiting the number of times you touch your face

We also continue to the community to avoid social gatherings and practice "social distancing" to curb the spread of the disease.

For additional guidance and updated information, please see the following sources:

In addition, local and national organizations have been sending around numerous updates and resources to their members and followers. We will attempt to post some relevant ones here for convenience and broader access: